Post Hole Digger - if stuck

[ultrarunner]

The Posthole digger - mines a Mcmillen, but a couple of other comapnies make them - takes 5 gpm or so. You have to have hydraulics run forward, which I do for my grapple. A diverter off the FEL would work I assume.

The digger mounts on a QA plate, so it should be easier to get on and off than a 3 pt, which is evidently a pain. Since its on the FEL, you can apply down pressure, which the reuglar 3 point doesnt have.

I'll try for a picture, but I've enver done it before

Charles... hows that Digger been working for you?

If you had it to do over again, what would you have done differently?

 

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3
Since its on the FEL, you can apply down pressure, which the reuglar 3 point doesnt have.

I recently bought another 3PH PHD. The manual lists a hydraulic accessory to provide down force. I think I may get it as most of the operator unsafe things I have done around the dangerous whirling beastie were instigated by not being able to get the auger started in hard to dig soil. I think down pressure would be great.

Pat

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Pat, the down force option is great. A few weeks ago I drilled a seven holes that in the past some of them would have taken a lot of time and water. I drilled each of these holes in about a minute, maybe 90 seconds at the most. 24 inch tree auger, about 42 inches deep. The first 2 pics are of the same hole. The auger would only go in about 4-6 inches, (center point depth) very hard decomposed granite. Put the down pressure on and the auger went in like it did in the 3rd pic.(top soil) Amazing what a little hydraulic pressure will do.

 

[ultrarunner]

Pat, the down force option is great. A few weeks ago I drilled a seven holes that in the past some of them would have taken a lot of time and water. I drilled each of these holes in about a minute, maybe 90 seconds at the most. 24 inch tree auger, about 42 inches deep. The first 2 pics are of the same hole. The auger would only go in about 4-6 inches, (center point depth) very hard decomposed granite. Put the down pressure on and the auger went in like it did in the 3rd pic.(top soil) Amazing what a little hydraulic pressure will do.

Those pictures are very impressive... looks like a Landpride Unit?

 

[patrick_g]

Pat, the down force option is great. A few weeks ago I drilled a seven holes that in the past some of them would have taken a lot of time and water. I drilled each of these holes in about a minute, maybe 90 seconds at the most. 24 inch tree auger, about 42 inches deep. The first 2 pics are of the same hole. The auger would only go in about 4-6 inches, (center point depth) very hard decomposed granite. Put the down pressure on and the auger went in like it did in the 3rd pic.(top soil) Amazing what a little hydraulic pressure will do.

Thanks for the user report. As I said, I thought I might want that but your report has pushed me over the top. I WANT DOWN PRESSURE!!

I was blissfully ignorant that it was easily available till I saw it as an accessory in the manual that came with my new PHD.

Thanks again.

Pat

 

[ultrarunner]

Thanks for the user report. As I said, I thought I might want that but your report has pushed me over the top. I WANT DOWN PRESSURE!!

I was blissfully ignorant that it was easily available till I saw it as an accessory in the manual that came with my new PHD.

Thanks again.

Pat

Don't feel bad... my Kubota/Landpride Dealer didn't know the option existed either... I had to convince him to make the call... he apoligized and ordered one for me...

 

[Dave5264]

Newbie here, 1 month tractor owner, never drilled a hole with a Tractor & PHD

Im putting in some hores paddocks next month, about 150+ cedar posts to put in.

Our ground has alot of Clay, one row will run colose to a tree line too, so the Woes of a PHD worried me a bit.

I thought about a PHD (and i will buy one eventually) but ive decided to rent a Trailer Mounted Post Pounder form a local guy, $75 per day, Apparently very effective as long as you dont hit the big Rocks.

so, Im hiring this same guy for a day or so as well (good Rate) figure ill learn a bit, while getting this job done with some expediency.

Now i just have to Tip 150+ posts this weekend

 

[bughouser]

I have a JD2305 with a 12 inch auger, I find if I dig a small hole with a shovel to start the hole, go slow,just above idle, and clear the hole often without letting the auger dig in very deep I have avoided getting stuck. I have used the fel to tip up the front of the tractor to add downward force to the 3ph on the rear. Hope this helps.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Those pictures are very impressive... looks like a Landpride Unit?

Yep, Land Pride PD35. I am a weekend warrior, and one weekend I spent more than a day trying to put in a few 18" holes. Before I went home I put 40 gallons of water in 2 that I could not get down much more than two feet. During the week I made a stop by the local John Deere - Land Pride dealer and ordered the down force kit. With a limited amount of time to get things done, I just don't have the time to fool with a few holes most of a weekend. Finished the holes the next weekend without the down force kit, (3 week delivery time) but from then on, I have been able to drill a hole when and where I want to.

Oh, don't know about anyone else, but I learned the hard way that you need to put the down force kit on while the PHD is on the tractor. I installed mine while it was hanging on my PHD stand, and while most of everything was ok, I did have to re-adjust the position of the hydraulic before I could even get the PHD hooked up.

One last thing, if I remember right, the down force kit was about $550 and worth every penny. Ultrarunner, how much did you have to pay for yours? Just wondering.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I have a JD2305 with a 12 inch auger, I find if I dig a small hole with a shovel to start the hole, go slow,just above idle, and clear the hole often without letting the auger dig in very deep I have avoided getting stuck. I have used the fel to tip up the front of the tractor to add downward force to the 3ph on the rear. Hope this helps.

Not sure if this actually helps or not. Your 3pt lower arms should just be floating, so raising the front of the tractor should do little or nothing. I think. But if it works for you, GREAT.

 

[patrick_g]

Not sure if this actually helps or not. Your 3pt lower arms should just be floating, so raising the front of the tractor should do little or nothing. I think. But if it works for you, GREAT.

It works for me too when the slope if any lets me contact the ground with enough FEL motion left to significantly raise the front of the tractor.

Didn't investigate the exact workings of the arrangement, just did it and it worked.

I'm still going to get a hydraulic down force kit.

Pat

 

[bughouser]

Not sure if this actually helps or not. Your 3pt lower arms should just be floating, so raising the front of the tractor should do little or nothing. I think. But if it works for you, GREAT.

I think you may be right about the 3pt arms floating, maybe when the front of the tractor is raised it changes the angle of the auger tip to the ground and that helps it dig.???

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep, Land Pride PD35. I am a weekend warrior, and one weekend I spent more than a day trying to put in a few 18" holes. Before I went home I put 40 gallons of water in 2 that I could not get down much more than two feet. During the week I made a stop by the local John Deere - Land Pride dealer and ordered the down force kit. With a limited amount of time to get things done, I just don't have the time to fool with a few holes most of a weekend. Finished the holes the next weekend without the down force kit, (3 week delivery time) but from then on, I have been able to drill a hole when and where I want to.

Oh, don't know about anyone else, but I learned the hard way that you need to put the down force kit on while the PHD is on the tractor. I installed mine while it was hanging on my PHD stand, and while most of everything was ok, I did have to re-adjust the position of the hydraulic before I could even get the PHD hooked up.

One last thing, if I remember right, the down force kit was about $550 and worth every penny. Ultrarunner, how much did you have to pay for yours? Just wondering.

I think I paid about $1600 for the Landpride Post Hole Digger with down pressure kit with top and tilt hydraulics added and a 12" pengo auger... not inexpensive... but really my only option for my BX23...

 

[patrick_g]

I think I paid about $1600 for the Landpride Post Hole Digger with down pressure kit with top and tilt hydraulics added and a 12" pengo auger... not inexpensive... but really my only option for my BX23...

Of course there is always the alternative of hand digging, blasting, etc to "save money."

A PHD, when working nicely, is a true thing of beauty, especially compared to the alternatives. A simple cost benefit analysis would show that if you only dug, say, 200 holes over the life of your digger then your cost per hole is just over $8. I'd hate to try to get holes dug for (or dig them myself to save) $8.

Pat

 

[Charlesaf3]

just saw this - ultrarunner, only thing I would have done differently is not get the 24" auger - not worth it, and eats too much torque. Love the hydraulic phd, and having it on FEL is really nice. My b3030 is barely big enough for it though - I wouldn't put it on any smaller tractor, and in fact would say it should be on at least an L or equivalent.

 

[ultrarunner]

Thanks Charles for the update... very nice set-up!